Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Other Guys Mini-Review

There's a certain point about halfway into The Other Guys when I just stopped caring because it honestly felt like the writers did as well. It's a shame because the first half of the film works pretty well and the jokes are more hit than miss. The problem is, the film just continues to play off the same jokes to diminishing returns.

Why it works in the outset I don't know, but once one realizes that half the jokes revolve around the irony of particular people saying something outlandish, like Michael Keaton making TLC (the band not the channel) references, grandma's talking sexual maneuvers, or Ferrell's quiet mild mannered character going crazy from his pimp past. If this was the first time this kind of humor was on screen then it might sustain itself for an hour and a half, but after a decade of this humor, the irony gets old pretty quickly.

While the film tries to be topical and include 'wall street' villains, it's a shame the film tries to be serious about these villains by the end. In fact, we are treated to a terribly out of context attempt at a lesson in 'wall street' chicanery over the end credits. I don't know why films that thrive on 'stupid' humor with 'stupid' plots, over-simplified villains and cardboard motivations believe they have any type of context from which to tell any lessons. What it confirms to me is that these type of comedies, as long as it thrives on 'stupidity' for its humor are inherently limited.

It's a shame because I'm always looking for one of these comedies to break out and become well-rounded, but perhaps it's a fools errand. Has there ever been a well-rounded stupid comedy that doesn't get long in the tooth? Dumb & Dumber? Anyways, point being, its a hit and miss comedy that starts out strong and wears thin pretty quickly. If thats sufficient enough, you'll have a great time. If not, then prepare for another mixed pleasure.